First meetings
Well we are struggling a little here with jet-lag but despite that we have had a very positive day so far. This morning we had a meeting planned with CEDAW Watch Network. A taxi arrived at 10.30am and tried in vain to find the building that we needed to go to. After almost an hour of driving around the same square mile of Ulaanbaatar we admitted defeat and returned to the hotel! Frenzied telephone calls later and a great deal of help from the hotel receptionist resulted in a second taxi which (still with some difficulty) found the building. Totally anonymous from the outside, this building houses major NGOs, including Amnesty, Liberal Women's Brain Pool and the organisation we were trying to find. Only an hour and a half late we began our meeting. We had a very productive and informative meeting. Our gifts of Thorntons chocolate and 'Truth About Rape' campaign postcards were welcomed and we were given document reports of their latest work - with promises of other documents to follow. They seem very interested in developing collaborative work.A quick whizz back to the hotel and then it was on to our next meeting, this time with the Mongolian Women Lawyers Association. We were met at the hotel and taken to their offices to meet with board members. Gifts were again exchanged, we listened to a presentation from their Executive Director, and we gave a presentation on our work and research interests. I then did a demonstration using a biscuit as my main prop (don't ask - you really had to be there) but it worked really well!! They are very keen to do collaborative work and - being lawyers - want to draft an agreement for us to sign!
They are arranging for us to meet with the Minister for Justice on Monday and before then we are being taken on a mini-bus tour of the countryside on Saturday. They have also offered to take us shopping so that I can replace the scarf that I lost at Moscow airport!
In ten minutes we are going to a ger (tent dwelling) so I have to go. But please, please keep your messages coming - they mean so much to us and it is a great way of keeping in touch with everyone in the UK - and beyond!
Wish us luck with the ger visist and we will report again tomorrow. Helen & Shani
posted by Helen J @ 7:00 PM
4 Comments:
Good to here the meetings went well even if it was rather fraught getting there. Can't wait for Ger!
Sue.
Glad that the meetings etc. are going well.
I can report from home that your Mother's breathing again now she knows your there safely and that the hotel's heated.
Did you get my txt about Barry's exams? He passed them all and surprized himself!!!
Everything's fine at home except we can't see the telly for the pile of Open University TMAs!!!
txt you l8r.
David.
Hi
I have to say, it doesn't sound that much different from my trip to Moscow - and my 'find' memories of a deep fried cornish pastie
Anyhow - if they want to draw up a collaberative agreement, you can alwasy get them to fax if for my attention at +44 161 247 6309 and I can run a beady eye over it and make sure that it would be in the acceptable realms
Stephen
Hi Helen,
Just a quick post, as I haven't had chance to read all your news properly - glad to hear everything is going well. We will miss you at mentoring scheme tomorrow! I'll get chance then to catch up on everything you've been doing and will post a proper message.
Eddie
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